Story+1999-08-31+Washington,+DC

(sings ‘Take Me to the River’) that’s right....that’s where I want to go.....I want to go to the river....the river of life....the river of love....the river of friendship....and of sexual healing….I want to go to that river tonight and I want you to go with me ..... and I want to go with you.....because we can’t get there on our own..... you might think you can but you can’t.....get there....on your own....when I was a young man, I walked as a little child....I kept my childish fears with me.....and so I found myself standing before a dark grove of trees....and like a little child, frightened to pass on through to the other side....even though I knew that’s where my home was and that’s where the river of life was waiting....the river of a (?).....and cold beer at a reasonable price.....but I was frightened to pass on through because I was alone.....and as I stood before the trees, I saw a light.....glittering slightly in front of me and I stepped up and there was a gypsy....sitting out in front of a air-stream trailer..... and I told her of my fears....and how I wanted to pass through but that.....I was frightened and she said ‘Well, that’s because you’re alone.....what you need is..... you need some help....Mr.Independence !.....you need a band’....so I’d like to introduce the Dean of the University of musical perversity, the Director of Intelligence, Roy Bittan on the piano, with me tonight on the riverside....I’d like to pass on to the Secretary of friendship and soul....keeper of all things righteous on E Street, Little Steven Van Zandt on the guitar....with me at the riverside....I’m walking now to the Adjunct of all things funky, Mr.Garry W.Tallent on bass....I´d like to move to the Minister of the big beat, all that is mighty, Mighty Max Weinberg on the drums.....on to the Secretary of heart and spirit, the Godfather of the guitar, Mr.Nils Lofgren on the guitar.....with me at the riverside....now I want to move on to the Minister of mystery and all things unfathomable in this life, Phantom Dan Federici on the organ....with me at the riverside....now I want to tell you that brunettes are fine and blondes are fun but when it comes to getting a dirty job done, it takes a (crowd : ‘Red Headed Woman’) oh, man, I’ve got to find a (crowd : ‘Red Headed Woman’) yeah, now, I’m searching for a (crowd : ‘Red Headed Woman’) oh, man, I’ve got to have a (crowd : ‘Red Headed Woman’) yeah now I’m looking for a (crowd : ‘Red Headed Woman’) oh man I’ve got to have a (crowd : ‘Red Headed Woman’) the First Lady of love and sweet harmony, Miss Patti Scialfa on the guitar....thank you baby.....with me at the riverside.....alright....and last but not least.....now I don’t usually endorse presidential candidates.....but there’s a man in the room tonight that I’ve got to stand up for..... drugs he’s done, sex he’s had and he’s a much better saxophone player....if you been stigmatised, fractionalised, vote-for-another-tax-cut-for -the-rich-Republicanized, it’s not too late to mend your errored ways, ladies and gentlemen....you can change your mind, you can change yourself tonight.....because I´d like to put in a nomination for the greatest office in the land, it’s time we had a Big Man in the White House....do I have to say his name ?.....”
 * 31.08.99 Washington D.C., middle of ‘Tenth Avenue Freeze Out’:**

”Thank you....gonna do this for all our friends in the Capitol Area Food Bank where there´s.....they’ll be out in the lobby (?).....we’re abandoning many of our citizens that....economy isn’t benefiting.... the Capitol Area Food Bank is there providing service and support and compassion....and they need your support so....this is for the folks of the Capitol Area Food Bank.....”
 * 31.08.99 Washington D.C, ‘The Ghost of Tom Joad’:**

‘‘Washington D.C !....Did I say Washington ? (cheers)....you don’t really live here, do you ?..... but everywhere I’ve gone I’ve seen people lost....in confusion ..... especially here..... everywhere I’ve gone I’ve seen people lost....in the wilderness, many people lost in the wilderness right here.....everywhere I’ve gone I’ve seen people lost....in bitterness..... many people lost in bitterness right here.....I want to tell you tonight I’m here on a search-and-rescue mission ....I’m here on a search-and-rescue mission....I’m coming to get you, I’m sane, I’m trained, I’m (?) and I’ve done no cocaine, baby ......haven´t done any....I still might....(?)....but I haven’t done any yet.....but if your soul’s running on empty, we´re right here, if your heart needs to be filled up, we’re coming to get you, if your spirit’s bankrupt, we’re gonna lift that debt up off you, I’m gonna resuscitate, I’m gonna regenerate you, I’m gonna reconfiscate you, I’m reindoctrinate you, I’m gonna resexualate you, I’m gonna rededicate you with the power, with the promise, with the power, with the promise, with the majesty, with the mystery, with the foolishness….with the ministry of rock’n’roll !….that´s right….that´s right….now I know what you´re saying, you´re worried about Y2K-problem, you’ve got Millenium fever, your stocks up, your bonds down, mortality is rearing its ugly head, you know the Good Book says, Chapter 1 Verse 1, ‘Louie, Louie, oh-oh, we’ve all got to go’, well unlike my competitors, I cannot, I shall not, I will not promise you life everlasting….but I can promise you life right now !….(?) all you´ve got to do is raise your hand and say ‘I’….”
 * 31.08.99 Washington D.C, middle in ‘Light of Day’:**

//Compiled by : Johanna Pirttijärvi//